Unheralded Popovic storms to the lead

Coolum

Daniel Popovic plays a shot during round one of the Australian PGA. Photo: Getty Images

Victorian Daniel Popovic upstaged the big names to shoot an opening round 64 to lead the Australian PGA Championship at the Palmer Coolum resort on Thursday.

The 26-year-old set the course alight with nine birdies and at one stage looked a chance of shooting the magical 59 when he was eight under through 11 holes.

His eight under, two shots off the Coolum course record, gave him a two-shot lead over West Australian Scott Strange who was the clubhouse leader after opening with a flawless 66.

One shot further back was China’s Xin Jun Zhang, who didn’t pick up a golf club until he was 17, and carded six birdies and one bogey in his 67, the same score as Singapore’s Tze-huang Choo, and Geoff Ogilvy who had two eagles in his round.